Sewickley Herald notebook: Class of 2025 to enter Sewickley Academy hall of fame

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, August 10, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Four individuals and one team will be inducted into the Sewickley Academy Sports Hall of Fame this fall.

The Class of 2025 consists of former athletic director/basketball coach Win Palmer, Tom Droney (2010), Tara Utchel (1999), Katarina Lackner (2005) and the 2003 girls state championship soccer team.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Sewickley Academy Event Center.

The 2025 inductees will join 21 individuals and one team in the hall, consisting of Timothy Appleton (1973), Maury Brassert (1949), Corey Diethorn (2004), W. Ridgely Diven (1967), Kate Dresher, Scott Fetterolf (1976), Maria Gaydos (1984), David Gibson (1958), Shelly Harris (1996), Timothy Hastings (1977), Christiana Hays (1970), Tamara Hoch (2003), Tommy Kehoe (2004), Hal Partenheimer (1974), Timothy Kaiser (1991), Stanwood Partenheimer, Steven Partenheimer (1968), Ben Powers (1989), Joan Schenerlein, Carol Semple Thompson (1966) and Whitney Snyder (1979).

Sewickley’s 1997 PIAA boys championship basketball team also is in the hall of fame.

Top spot in Thiero’s sights

Quaker Valley’s Mimi Thiero will begin the 2024-25 school year as the third all-time leading scorer in girls basketball with 1,248 career points.

Farrah Cosby (1991-95) is No. 1 with 1,396 career points, 148 points ahead of Thiero. Corrine Washington (2018-21) ranks second all-time with 1,313 career points.

Others in the girls 1,000-point club are Christa Rogers (2004-08), with 1,245 points; DeAnn Ryan (2009-12), with 1,143; Alexa Burzese (2006-10), with 1,058; Aria Alston-Smith (2013-17), with 1,045; Sierra Perlik (2009-13), with 1,028; and Bailey Garbee (2018-21), with 1,026.

Diane Schmitt (1976-80) and Missy Walls (1977-81) also ended their careers at QV near or above the 1,000-point plateau.

The 6-foot-5 Thiero netted 29 points Jan. 20 at home against Sto-Rox to join her school’s 1,000-point club, attaining the career milestone with a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

“I’m just very grateful that I was able to do it as a junior,” Thiero said. “My teammates were so supportive and were counting down the points with me.

“I got a rebound and brought it up the court, then pulled up for a 3-pointer.”

One of the most heavily sought players in the state, Thiero is rated an ESPN four-star recruit and the No. 57 overall prospect in her class.

“I’m not sure what else to say that hasn’t already been said about Mimi,” QV coach Ken Johns said. “It’s quite an achievement, and when you talk to her, it’s clear she has bigger goals in mind for the team and herself.”

Gartley studies chemistry

Quaker Valley’s Mia Gartley, a senior outside hitter on the girls volleyball team this year, has been studying advanced chemistry this summer. Here’s why:

“I think the strength of the team this year will be team chemistry,” Gartley said. “Getting along and forming a team relationship is so important in volleyball. And I’m hoping our team will be like that this season.

“I have pretty high expectations this year. We have a lot of upcoming talent new to varsity. And so many girls are putting in the out-of-season work.”

Gartley hopes to help instill a winning spirit

She was a starter on last year’s WPIAL championship team at QV and has been a key member of the Quakers’ last three WPIAL champion track and field teams.

Gartley also is a two-time district titlist in the girls long jump event.

Coach near milestone

Mike Mastroianni, Quaker Valley’s longtime boys basketball coach, is five wins shy of reaching the 600-victory milestone with a 595-244 career record.

After spending three seasons at Keystone Oaks, Mastroianni took over as QV’s boys basketball coach in 1995 and established a culture within the program that emphasizes team goals over individual achievements.

He joined QV after spending 23 years at Carnegie Mellon as assistant athletic director and assistant men’s basketball coach. He also served as director of intramural and club sports.

A 1979 QV graduate, Mastroianni majored in business administration in college and has a master’s degree in sports management from Slippery Rock.

Mastroianni left his alma mater in 2003 for Bethel Park, where he spent four seasons and won a WPIAL title, but returned to Leetsdale in 2007 to continue building atop a foundation he’d initially established

In addition to his other office duties, Mastroianni also serves as director of activities for the school district.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy